New Apple iPad arriving in S. Korea, 11 more countries

Customers test new IPad on April 4, 2012, at the newly opened Apple store inside the Confluence shopping center in Lyon, on the day of its inauguration. AFP PHOTO/JEFF PACHOUD

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple said Monday it would start marketing its new iPad on Friday in South Korea and 11 other countries, and the hot-selling tablet would be available in more than 50 countries by the end of the month.

The April 20 launch of the third-generation iPad will be in South Korea, Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Panama, St Maarten, Uruguay and Venezuela.

By April 27, the new tablet will be available in Colombia, Estonia, India, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, South Africa and Thailand.

Apple launched the device last month and sold three million over the course of its first weekend on the market.

China has been noticeably absent from an iPad release schedule, and some analysts said it may be the result of a nettlesome trademark battle with Chinese computer firm Proview Technology.

Debt-laden Proview is suing Apple in China for trademark violation for calling its tablet computer “iPad.”